How to check the timing on a Crv Gen 1?

Thanks for that Bdub, I also want to check no one has fiddled with it over the years.

Looks pretty simple to do the timing check itself, has anyone given it a try, do you have to remove anything to view the timing marks, it's a big cramped down that side of the engine?

How does it work again, retarding the timing will give better power at higher revs advanced better power at lower revs?

Also why would you need an advance retard adjustment if the vehicle is ecu managed?

Checked my timing now, very simple process, mine is slightly advanced but still within the +2/-2 degree markings on the crank pulley.

I have the higher compression B20Z engine but I'm running unleaded 95 octane, that's all that's available. Technically with that motor and 95 octane fuel what is the ideal timing, seems slightly retarded is what would give better fuel economy, so on the +2/-2 degree limit but retarded?

I retarded the timing to the -2 degree limit and it definitely has better low down power, before it struggled to pull the vehicle forward in first gear on flat with no gas applied and just running on the idle, it was often a bit jerky/struggled now it does that no hassle and smoothly. Also now when in neutral and you bump the gas it seems to rev up faster and then drop down quicker, it always was good at that but now it's slightly better and smoother doing that.

Have you recently replaced the timing belt? Also could be the main pulley is worn so even though a timing light says one thing you may have actually put the timing back into spec. They don't move over time but if distributor wasn't proper tightened at some point it could have moved slightly.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Tigris99 said:

Have you recently replaced the timing belt? Also could be the main pulley is worn so even though a timing light says one thing you may have actually put the timing back into spec. They don't move over time but if distributor wasn't proper tightened at some point it could have moved slightly.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

I have replaced the timing belt, 3000 odd miles ago, all the pulleys incl the crank pulley looked perfect.

The timing wasn't out or any symptoms of it, I just thought I'd check it out. The distributor bolts were very tight no chance that has moved.

Before I adjusted it the timing was almost spot on according to my timing light, just slightly advanced, I just wanted to see what fully retarding it(within the -2 degree spec) would do. Seems to have helped but I'm not sure how it will affect consumption.

From what I understand the manual distributor advance is only really there to adjust the vehicle to different octane fuel and only has an affect under around 2000rpm?

Apart from the above do these engines have full ECU advance or is there also some vacuum system involved?

Just checked now and the owners manual says the following about the fuel octane:

"Gasoline : Your Honda is designed to operate on unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number of 86 or higher"

Can the idle speed be adjusted on these CRV's, seems not?

Peanut said:

Can the idle speed be adjusted on these CRV's, seems not?

Click to expand...

Anyone have any idea on this, from what I can read in the service manual it seems the idle is ecu controlled and there is only a mixture adjustment screw.

There is an adjustment on the accelerator cable that would essentially change the idle, I'm assuming that's the butterfly position, can I use that to adjust the idle?

Thanks for that info BDub, I've decided at this point not to fiddle with the idle, it seems to idle at factory spec as it is. I would like it to idle as low as possible but too much playing around always ends up stuffing something up.

Out of interest sake how much advance or retard from stock 16 degrees advance do people run these engines at?

Apparently the +/- 2 degrees advance/retard from factory is allowed is to compensate for altitude - retard at sea level and advance at higher altitudes